This follows up my previous post about feeding eight children dinner and then seven children breakfast. I do like the open door policy we have with our kids (and I'd rather have them hang here where I know where they are and what they are doing), but in doing so there are certain concessions to be made -- like a better planned stockpile.

Feeding teen & friends or larger groups...
I found it cost efficient to make bread in an inexpensive bread machine from GW. It's remarkably easy to set up each evening and bake on a timer, ready for evening meal as preferred. It all comes down to what the family will eat.

I make a pasta dish every other week so since one of your grocery chains did a promotion proclaiming there were 72 different types/shapes of pasta, I've made it a point to buy a different shape each time I need to replenish the container. For example if I make macaroni salad one week using either small shells, I'd plan mac 'n'cheese 2 weeks later, tuna casserole the next time etc.

For more than four, I tend to use a formula like 4 oz. protein per person, 1.5 lg. potato each, 2 oz uncooked pasta ea., etc. The research insists frozen fruit and vegetables are just as nutritious as fresh and there is no waste as items don't wilt. Truthfully, it's so convenient and we have such a short growing season.

Mains like Chili, Sloppy Joe/Jane, Stew, Bean stuff are filling using two or three different types of very inexpensive dehydrated beans, cooked in a Crock Pot the previous night to be ready for the added items later or even better the following day.

There are a lot of rice based dishes mix snacks were a treat. Since Brownies from a package are so easy to make and available from the Dollar stores, would you be willing to assign DKs to making these as treats?

There are a lot of rice based dishes from all the ethnicities like Spanish, Jambalaya, Paella, Pilaf, Parisian Risotto, Tex Mex etc. that use at hand spices but only small amounts of protein items per serving. Rice also makes soup and terrific desserts.